Doubles requirements/wishes gender/mixed

I'll start... I'm curious to see are your expectations different in gender versus mixed. I'm especially curious to hear what women expect playing women's doubles.

In men's doubles. 1. I expect guys to come to the net first and foremost. I hate playing with a guy that thinks he can hit his way through two guys coming into the net from two feet behind the baseline. 2. Another pet peave is get your damn serve in. I don't want hear that you have to hit it 120 to get it in(One guy told me that). 3. The last thing is move with me if the ball is hit to me. The court basically moves with the ball. If they run me wide...bring yourself to the middle at the very least.

In mixed doubles the things I expect most are 1. Get your serve in deep as possible. It doesn't need to be 120. Most men don't serve that hard. I just needs to be placed well. 2. Follow the ball. If I hit a serve wide in the deuce court...please don't come to the middle and open the alley up. 3...This is my biggest thing in mixed. Please please do not switch on balls that are lobbed over your head and fall 6 to 8 inches behind your service box.

It's one thing to not be able to step back and crank and overhead. I can live with that, but please don't make me play balls behind you that far in the court. One other thing I forgot..4. If I have to go back and get a lob...don't just switch...get back as chances are I'm sending a lob back. The last thing I wanna see after getting my foot disloged from the fence(it happens a lot as I track them down all the way to the fence if needed...lol) is the guy on the other side of the net putting a ball away behind you as you are bent over at the net watching me....lol

In doubles I have 2 sets of expectations. One for partners that I do not routinely play with and that is: very few expectations. I don't go over the nuances of strategy with those guys since next week I may be playing against that guy. I usually just go over two issues ahead of time as far as my expectations. One is that I opportunity poach a lot so not to be fooled by that and the second is that if we are both lobbed, that the netperson that is not lobbed has a better angle on the ball.

For my partners, I expect them to move to the alley on wide balls, especially serves. At my level DFs are not a significant concern and the few who do (singles players mostly) get more than average service winners so it really does not impact the match as much. What really bothers me but to be honest I don't bring up a lot is partners who start return points as the netman practically in NML. In fact, I will often return as a chip and charge and finish the point within a racquet's length of the net while the "netman" is maybe a step inside the service line.

I'll start... I'm curious to see are your expectations different in gender versus mixed. I'm especially curious to hear what women expect playing women's doubles.

In men's doubles. 1. I expect guys to come to the net first and foremost. I hate playing with a guy that thinks he can hit his way through two guys coming into the net from two feet behind the baseline. 2. Another pet peave is get your damn serve in. I don't want hear that you have to hit it 120 to get it in(One guy told me that). 3. The last thing is move with me if the ball is hit to me. The court basically moves with the ball. If they run me wide...bring yourself to the middle at the very least.

In mixed doubles the things I expect most are 1. Get your serve in deep as possible. It doesn't need to be 120. Most men don't serve that hard. I just needs to be placed well. 2. Follow the ball. If I hit a serve wide in the deuce court...please don't come to the middle and open the alley up. 3...This is my biggest thing in mixed. Please please do not switch on balls that are lobbed over your head and fall 6 to 8 inches behind your service box.

It's one thing to not be able to step back and crank and overhead. I can live with that, but please don't make me play balls behind you that far in the court. One other thing I forgot..4. If I have to go back and get a lob...don't just switch...get back as chances are I'm sending a lob back. The last thing I wanna see after getting my foot disloged from the fence(it happens a lot as I track them down all the way to the fence if needed...lol) is the guy on the other side of the net putting a ball away behind you as you are bent over at the net watching me....lol

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You obviously haven't been to too many college matches have you?
Starting 2-back is a good option in some cases. You CAN hit through/over 2 net players. It can be done at a certain level.

In men's doubles, I expect my partner (often randomly rotated/partner) to at least realize that doubles game is different than singles.
Also, please....don't ever rest your hands on your hips while playing tennis. I once had a partner who would stand near the net with his hands on his hips while I served.

I've found playing mixed is like playing with old people. I'm sure there are tons of fast woman out there but either I haven't bumped into them on the court or they don't use their speed productively.

What op said about partners not moving properly is doubly annoying. I played with a new guy last weekend and when serving on the deuce side, the returner kept getting me low wide balls. I dug them out but EVERY single time the returner was coming in and put it away through the middle.. MOVE, I don't understand how people don't move to the court where the ball is obviously going to be hit, is that not common sense? It was unnerving because the guy could play, but it was recreational (although he was REALLY serious about it) and I'm not about to start coaching him or telling him to stand differently in social tennis, he can play how he wants.

I guess to answer your question, my expectations are dictated more by skill, then gender though. I've played with some ladies who could smack the ball, and I've played with plenty of guys who were complete duds.

Okay...I didn't think I'd have to but I guess I will address this. I was assuming we would be talking about "adult tennis" and not college. Of course they may be able to hit through each other at times but I would think in most cases even at that level that that the guys that control the net control the match.

So I'm thinking two guys that can volley in college will win most of the time playing two guys that are firing away from the baseline. I'm sure it looks good unleashing forehands but I would think again two guys that can volley will eat that up most of the time. Now...if two college guys were hitting at me from the baseline...the guys on the baseline would have a field day.lol Which is why you won't see me playing against two guys from UGA or UT at any given point.

btw,...I did ironically watch the Southern Conference tourney a couple of years ago and it was fun to watch. It's not like usta for sure. They were raising hell between points, during points... I heard "Break on 3!!" so many times it was hilarious.

I've come to acknowledge we're not atp men; many points are played out one up/one back. Unless one has great recognition, moves back quickly and has a solid overhead, lobs can be too troublesome if both come to net.

My biggest wish is, if staying back, put some pressure on other side. Don't drop some high bouncing floater two feet short of the service line right in front of me.

In 3.5-4.5 rec tennis, a lot of times it's more "over" than "through", as there are a lot of crafty lobbers who make life very difficult for the "blindly crash the net all the time" doubles teams. While I also like to control the net most of the time, you have to know when to adapt as well.

Unless my opponents are deadly with the lob, I find both players at the net is the place to be. My regular doubles partner and I have yet to find players that can consistently hit the ball right through us. Does it happen at times? Yes, but over the course of the match, we almost always beat the big ground games. If they can keep us off the net with consistent deep lobs... we struggle.

As for mixed, I prefer a tall woman. Having a 5'2" woman for a partner is a nightmare. For all intents and purposes, it becomes a singles match for me with the good fortune of covering the alleys too. A top spin groundstroke turns into a topspin lob against short players.

I'll start... I'm curious to see are your expectations different in gender versus mixed. I'm especially curious to hear what women expect playing women's doubles.

In men's doubles. 1. I expect guys to come to the net first and foremost. I hate playing with a guy that thinks he can hit his way through two guys coming into the net from two feet behind the baseline. 2. Another pet peave is get your damn serve in. I don't want hear that you have to hit it 120 to get it in(One guy told me that). 3. The last thing is move with me if the ball is hit to me. The court basically moves with the ball. If they run me wide...bring yourself to the middle at the very least.

In mixed doubles the things I expect most are 1. Get your serve in deep as possible. It doesn't need to be 120. Most men don't serve that hard. I just needs to be placed well. 2. Follow the ball. If I hit a serve wide in the deuce court...please don't come to the middle and open the alley up. 3...This is my biggest thing in mixed. Please please do not switch on balls that are lobbed over your head and fall 6 to 8 inches behind your service box.

It's one thing to not be able to step back and crank and overhead. I can live with that, but please don't make me play balls behind you that far in the court. One other thing I forgot..4. If I have to go back and get a lob...don't just switch...get back as chances are I'm sending a lob back. The last thing I wanna see after getting my foot disloged from the fence(it happens a lot as I track them down all the way to the fence if needed...lol) is the guy on the other side of the net putting a ball away behind you as you are bent over at the net watching me....lol

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I have two things to say to you.

First, your points are all valid ones.

Second, get over yourself and deal with playing in the real world of recreational tennis. The average rec player is struggling with a half dozen basic fundamentals already, and now you want to load him/her up with this much strategy and tactics right out of the box? Unless you are playing at a very high level (4.5 and above), and your partner is of equal strength and experience, you are expecting way too much. Your wishes aren't too much---but they are too much for the average rec player to do consistently.

We all can only hit the shots we can hit. So I can live with pitiful serves, botched volleys, lame lobs.

I do go a little nuts with partners who alley camp. Equally awful are partners who stand in the same spot for an entire set.

Positioning doesn't take athleticism; all you need is awareness.

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I agree. I can live with errors as they are a function of your ability.

But, everyone beyond basic levels should have reasonable grasp of tactics and movement. I see too many doubles players backing up in mixed to hit ground strokes. I see this at the A, 4.0 and 4.5 levels. I want a mixed partner who stays in the net position and looks to make opportunistic poaches. I will try to set her up and get to the net with her as soon as possible.

From a "tactics" perspective, I want the same from male or female partner. I see males that are hanging back too far and not closing volleys too.

I agree with storypeddler, these tactics do give u the best shot at winning if u have all the strokes. Obviously being a recreational hacks, most of us don't have the shots. I once had a doubles partner upset with me for retrieving to the baseline after the opponents kept hammering me at the net with his weak crappy serves. I told him unless he gets a better serve Im not moving fromthe baseline.

OP seems to know tennis strategy, but maybe hasn't played too much doubles at "good" levels? Talking 4-5.5.
To me, return of serve away from poach oriented netperson, get your serves into the weaker returning side, either weaker slow, or less consistent, and hit your volleys low up the middle if you're not putting the volley away.
Staying back is fine, if you can hit repeated low dipping passes up the middle, and topspin lob when given a higher, slower volley.

In men's doubles. 1. I expect guys to come to the net first and foremost. I hate playing with a guy that thinks he can hit his way through two guys coming into the net from two feet behind the baseline. 2. Another pet peave is get your damn serve in. I don't want hear that you have to hit it 120 to get it in(One guy told me that). 3. The last thing is move with me if the ball is hit to me. The court basically moves with the ball. If they run me wide...bring yourself to the middle at the very least.

In mixed doubles the things I expect most are 1. Get your serve in deep as possible. It doesn't need to be 120. Most men don't serve that hard. I just needs to be placed well. 2. Follow the ball. If I hit a serve wide in the deuce court...please don't come to the middle and open the alley up. 3...This is my biggest thing in mixed. Please please do not switch on balls that are lobbed over your head and fall 6 to 8 inches behind your service box.

It's one thing to not be able to step back and crank and overhead. I can live with that, but please don't make me play balls behind you that far in the court. One other thing I forgot..4. If I have to go back and get a lob...don't just switch...get back as chances are I'm sending a lob back. The last thing I wanna see after getting my foot disloged from the fence(it happens a lot as I track them down all the way to the fence if needed...lol) is the guy on the other side of the net putting a ball away behind you as you are bent over at the net watching me....lol

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I apparently have much different expectations than most people in this thread. My only expectation on a partner is for them to try and to do their best. Beyond that I'm being unreasonable. Clearly my partner wants to win and isn't doing anything that they don't think is going to help. Obviously none of us are amazing at all aspects of the game or we would be playing on the ATP tour. So naturally we all have weaknesses and things we don't do well. If my partner doesn't have an accurate serve, oh well. Hit it in the best you can and we will go from there.

But I'm going to have to disagree with some of the things you expect. Forcing your way to the net at awkward times is bad news against many teams. Teams with low dropping ground strokes or good lobs will tear apart a team that is always forcing their way to the net. With the exception of top level players I love to play against net rushers. I get to hit balls at their feet all day. It makes me feel like I have awesome ground strokes. However, players with strong ground strokes who follow short approachable balls to the net are tough to beat.

Mixed is a whole different thing. I expect my partner to tell me where they are most comfortable and we can come up with a strategy from there. I know I can hit through a mixed team from the baseline. I'm also comfortable at the net and am more than happy to end points up there. I am fine with a mixed partner letting a ball 6-8 inches bounce behind them and switching if they can't put away difficult overheads. If I can plan on my partner doing that it can often result in a better situation for us. My current main doubles partner lets me have the slow balls to the middle of the court because my approaching forehand is better than her reaching volley.

When I take the court my expectation is to make my shots. To control what I can control. Then, win or lose I can feel good about my game.

The only issues I have partner wise I think come from people that don't have experience teamed with a lefty. Trying to take forehand volleys that are too difficult instead of leaving them for my forehand. Letting go fairly easy backhand volleys leaving me with a more difficult backhand.

Bingo....most teams show who they are pretty quickly. If they are lobbing to no end then you don't crash the net...you sag just a little to take the lob away or make it difficult.

Then there are those who are going to try and pound through you from the baseline...that's not going to work. We pick teams apart that try that. I'm sure a couple of college guys could hit through us, but another 4.0 team?...it's not likely...I'm sure it can be done, but we will win 8 of 10 matches and I'll take that if you trying to hit through us. lol

In 3.5-4.5 rec tennis, a lot of times it's more "over" than "through", as there are a lot of crafty lobbers who make life very difficult for the "blindly crash the net all the time" doubles teams. While I also like to control the net most of the time, you have to know when to adapt as well.

You really think these are too much?lol It's not like I said they must make 93 percent of their volleys and serve at 87 percent first serves.lol These are things you have control over. Things like movement. It's second nature to me.lol I've seen guys that couldn't move well cover a court because common sense should tell you that if I hit the ball here chances are it's coming back over here. Maybe I am expecting too much but the guys I play with expected it out of me.lol

Second, get over yourself and deal with playing in the real world of recreational tennis. The average rec player is struggling with a half dozen basic fundamentals already, and now you want to load him/her up with this much strategy and tactics right out of the box? Unless you are playing at a very high level (4.5 and above), and your partner is of equal strength and experience, you are expecting way too much. Your wishes aren't too much---but they are too much for the average rec player to do consistently.

I am a 4.0 and have won dozens of tourneys at that level. I've won maybe 3 at the 4.5 men's level and I've won two at the 8.5 mixed level...also a truck load at 8.0 mixed. I do understand strategy and I even take it deeper. It starts before the match for me. I look at where the sun is and decide who needs to serve from which side depending on where the sun is. The first 4.5 tourney I won(and played the ad side I might add). I was told to hit everything down the middle...serves volleys etc...and it worked.

I remember him hitting a serve wide accidently and the guy laced it down the line for a winner and he said...it was his fault as I was covering the middle. So I understand what you are saying about the higher levels but I've been gone from 3.5 for some years now...at least 7.

OP seems to know tennis strategy, but maybe hasn't played too much doubles at "good" levels? Talking 4-5.5.
To me, return of serve away from poach oriented netperson, get your serves into the weaker returning side, either weaker slow, or less consistent, and hit your volleys low up the middle if you're not putting the volley away.
Staying back is fine, if you can hit repeated low dipping passes up the middle, and topspin lob when given a higher, slower volley.

I agree with some of what you are saying here...especially with the mixed partner being comfortable but let me clarify something. We do not force our way into the net, but we will start out every match trying to impose our will on you. That means coming to the net. If you show us on more than 2 or 3 or 4 times that you can lob within 6 inches of the baseline and have us scurrying around we will adjust, but the goal is to make you play the way we want to play first. To me staying at the baseline only gives you an outlet to hit to. Of course we aren't coming in on hanging short balls or short lobs. We try to hit good deep approach shots and then...yes...we are coming...

One other thing. If you are cool with playing balls 6 inches behind her service line...man...we'd love to play you and your partner. That is lob city when we see people switching like that. You'll need to a long nap after we're done with ya...lol

I apparently have much different expectations than most people in this thread. My only expectation on a partner is for them to try and to do their best. Beyond that I'm being unreasonable. Clearly my partner wants to win and isn't doing anything that they don't think is going to help. Obviously none of us are amazing at all aspects of the game or we would be playing on the ATP tour. So naturally we all have weaknesses and things we don't do well. If my partner doesn't have an accurate serve, oh well. Hit it in the best you can and we will go from there.

But I'm going to have to disagree with some of the things you expect. Forcing your way to the net at awkward times is bad news against many teams. Teams with low dropping ground strokes or good lobs will tear apart a team that is always forcing their way to the net. With the exception of top level players I love to play against net rushers. I get to hit balls at their feet all day. It makes me feel like I have awesome ground strokes. However, players with strong ground strokes who follow short approachable balls to the net are tough to beat.

Mixed is a whole different thing. I expect my partner to tell me where they are most comfortable and we can come up with a strategy from there. I know I can hit through a mixed team from the baseline. I'm also comfortable at the net and am more than happy to end points up there. I am fine with a mixed partner letting a ball 6-8 inches bounce behind them and switching if they can't put away difficult overheads. If I can plan on my partner doing that it can often result in a better situation for us. My current main doubles partner lets me have the slow balls to the middle of the court because my approaching forehand is better than her reaching volley.

Be aware of why we are winning or losing and be willing to change things if we are losing to try change our situation and that's literally all I expect. Ohh apart from communicating between points, tell em where youre serving and moving with hand signals or just telling me, I couldnt care much less how you tell me just let me know what the plan is and if you want me to cross etc.